Method and device for handling photographic films



Apr. 10,1923. 1,451,066

G. M, DYE

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HANDLING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS Origihal Filed May '5, 1919 2 sheets-sheet 1 Apr. 10, 1923.

' G. M. DYE METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HANDL'ING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS Original Filed May 5, 1919 2 sheets-sheet; 2

Patented Apr. 10, 1923.

UNITED STATES GLEN M. DYE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HANDLING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS.

Original application filed May 5, 1919, Serial No. 294,673.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLEN M. DYE, a citizen of the United'States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State I of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Devices for Handling Photographic Films; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. This invention relates to a device for and method of conveniently and efliciently mal5 nipulating photographic films during the developing, fixing, washing and drying operations thereon. With the device and method of this invention a large number of films may be suspended side by side and conveniently progressed through the several stages mentioned.

It is one object of this invention to provide a method of efiiciently handling films for f the developing, fixing, washing and drying 26 thereof.

It is an object of this invention to providea simple and highly efficient device in the nature of amultiple film holder comprising a plurality of film holders or clips.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a plurality of such film holders or clips arranged as a unitupona commonsupporting means, which unit is portable and can be moved from place to place as the filmsor prints are progressed through the various stages.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a unit comprising a plurality of film holdersor clips. which holders or clips can be moved toward and from each other through a limited distance.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in the following description made in connec tion with the accompanying drawings illustrating several forms of the invention, in which like reference ch aracters refer to the same parts throughout the different views,

and in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a complete film holder unit;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of this unit show ing the same in use in; connection with the tank for; either developing, fixing, or Wash- Divided and this application filed May 27,

Serial No. 473,027.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the supporting bar being omitted;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view with some parts shown by dotted lines showing several of the holders of the device illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but with the film holding clip removed;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation showing a slightly modified form of one of the film clip holders;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the form of film clip holder shown in Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same construction illustrated in Fig. 1, but with the film holding plates rigidly secured on the spacing bar.

This application is a. division of my pending application S. N. 294,673, filed May 5th, 1919 for film clip and order tab-holder in which latter application are broadly claimed the combined film and order tab holders mounted on a supporting bar.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, the numeral 9 indicates a supporting bar preferably of wood made rectangular or approximately so in cross section.- The numeral 10 indicates sheet metal film clip holders preferably made from quite thin sheet metal and mounted to slide on the supporting bar 9, and for that purpose being provided with rectangular openings 11 formed by rectangular lips 11 cutloose on the lower and side edges and turned upward into horizontal position. so as to ride on top of thebar 9. These lips 11, as shown, are provided with screw holes 12 through which. when desired, screws 13 may be applied, as shown in Fig. 8, to rigidly, secure the said holder plates on the bar 9. Preferably. however, the said holder platesare mounted to slide on the bar, such being the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 100 to 5. inclusive. However, even when the holder plates are-mounted to slide on thebar so. as to be frictionally spaced, the lip 1.1.of the-central holder plate will preferably have a screw 13 passed through its screw hole 12 105 and into the bar to secure this one holder plate against lateral sliding movement-on the bar. The outer edges of the lips 11 are preferably upturned so that, thesaid lips for mspacin g devices to limit themoveriient through the entrance slit 16".

gal;

of the several holder plates toward each other into compact form shown in Fig. 2. As an extremely simple and efiicient means for limiting the spreading movements of the holder plates, they are provided with slits 14 extending from the sides of the rectangular passages 11; and certain of the links of small spacing chains 15 are inserted" into these slits so that the chains will then limit the separating movements of the holder plates to position shown in Figs. 1 and 5. but will permit the said plates to be assembled closely together, as shown in Fig. 2. Attention is here called to the fact that the chains 15 can be interlocked in the slits 14: only when the plates are removed from the bar 9 and that when the plates are ap plied on the bars they will be held thus'interlocked. I

With this arrangement, the central holder plate 10 being: fixed on the bar, it will be impossible to move any of the holder plates off from the ends of the bar 9.

For connecting the upper ends of the films i 9 to the lower'ends of the holder plates 10, the latter are formed with clip receiving perforations which are preferably made approximately U-shaped, so as to leave tongues 16, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The lowerends of the plates 10 at approximately their transverse centers, are formed. with slits-16 leaving prongs which, when sprung laterally apart, afford an entrance passage in 'the bowed upper portionof the film holding portion 17. The photographic film clip employed is preferably of a well known commercial type, made of flat spring'metal with the lower ends of its prongs adapted to firmly clip and securely hold the. upper edge of the film 7 Similar clips 17 a may be applied tothe lower ends of the film y, as

shown in Fig. 2, to serve as'spacing devices and sinkers or weights to holdthe films stretched in vertical position when submerged in the liquid X of the tank X such asshown in Fig. 2. a

Theformof holder plate shown in G like that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive,

except that the clip receiving passage 16 is not provided withthe retaining tongue 16 The purpose of the tongue 16 -is to prevent accidental separation of the clip from the holder plate, even under rough handling, such as. with the construction illustrated in Fig. .6, might throw the clip edgewise In practicing the methodof this invention andin the use of the device, the upper ends of the film may be quickly and easily gripped by the clips 17 while the holder plates are separated far enough to prevent the film from coming into contact, even when being handled or moved from place to place. When the films thus attached are brought,

first t o the developing tank, they may be the latter to the washing tank, and in all of these operations, the bar 9 serves as a support for the several films and tab holding devices and serves as a very convenient de-a vice for carrying the films from place to place, so that at no time during the developing period is it necessary to place the hands on the films. After the films have been washed and when they are to be hung up to dry, it is desirable to again secure the holder plate so that the films will be thrown further apart, as shown in Fig. 1, and the films thereby so spaced that they will be dried rapidly and not be liable to come intov contact while drying.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has invented a very efficient apparatus and process for handling photographic films and by which the filmsmay be easily and rapidly developed in large quantities and in a rapid and labor saving manner.

WVhile one embodiment of the invention has been described specifically, it will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details and arrangement of the device withoutdeparting from the scope of appli'cants invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

, 1. A device of the kind describe-d comprising a supporting bar, and a plurality of. flat sheet metal holder plates having perforations through which said bars ispassed, said perforations being formedby partly cutting lips from said plates and turning the same into horizontal positions so that. they are adapted to rest on said bar. U

2. A device of the kind described comprising a supporting bar, and a plurality of fiat sheet. metal holder plates having perforations through which said bar is passed, said perforations being formed by partly cutting lips from said plates and turning the same into horizontal positions so that. they are adapted to rest on said bar, certain of said upturned lips having screwholes through which screws may be passed *to fasten the same to said bar. I

1 3. A portable photographic developing device, comprising a rigid supporting bar, and a plurality of film holders, spaced thereon,

' rality of said holders being capable of limited sliding movements toward and from each other.

4. A photographic developing apparatus comprising a supporting member, and a plufilm holders spaced thereon, said holders being constructed and arranged for limited sliding movement toward and from each other.

5. The method of handling roll photographic films which consists'in suspending said films from spaced holders on a portable member, moving said holders and films relatively to said member into close relationship by a sliding motion, subjecting said films while in such relationship, and while suspended from said holders, to the action of developing, fixing and washing solutions, then separating said films and holders a greater distance and subject-in the films to a drying medium while stil suspended from said holders.

6. A photographic handling apparatus comprising a portable member, a plurality of members carried thereby and adjustable thereon for limited movement toward and from each other, each of said members having means at its lower portions adapted to support film-holding clips.

7. A photographic developing apparatus comprising a supportin member and a plurality of film holders slidable thereon, said holders comprising vertically disposed plates.

8. A photographic developing apparatus comprising a. rigid portable member, a plurality of film holders movably carried thereon for relative movement, and flexible means connecting said holders and limiting their separating movement.

9. The structure set forth in claim 8, said holders being constructed of-sheet material and havin apertures through which said rigid mem er extends.

10. A photographic developing apparatus comprising a supporting member, a plurality of film holders movable thereon formed as parallel plates, and means for holding the same in parallel relation.

11. The method of handling photographic films which consists in suspending said films from spaced holders on a portable member, moving said holders and films relatively to said member into close relationship by a sliding motion, subjecting said films while in such relationship and while suspended from said holders to the action of liquids, then separating said films and holders a greater distance and subjecting the films to a. drying treatment while still suspended from said holders.

12. A photographic apparatus comprising a supporting member, a plurality of parallel members slidable thereon, said members being constructed and arranged to receive depending film holding means.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 65

GLEN M. DYE. 

